Safety light for automobiles



Nov. 25, 1941. L. D. BRIDGE l `SAFETY LIGHT FOR AUTOMBILES Filed Feb.28, 1940 atenteci Nov. 25, 1941 UNTED STATES PATENTl OFFICE SAFETY LIGHTFoa AUToMonmEs Lawrence D. Bridge, Blairsville, Pa., assignor te L. D.Bridge Company, Blairsville, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania vApplication February 2s, 1940, serial No. 321,347

(Cl. .M-8.26)

2 claims.

'I'his invention relates to lamps and has special reference to a vehiclelamp adapted for use onv the running board, wheel guard, front or rearof the body, or within the body of a motor vehicle.

One important object of the invention is to provide an improved generalconstruction of lamps having a novel lens arrangement whereby the lampemits a broad and shallow beam.

A second important object of the invention is to provide a lamp of thischaracter having a novel arrangement of reilection thereon.

A third important object of the invention is to provide a novelarrangement of reflector and lens for such a lamp.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be presently apparent,the invention consists in general of certain novel details ofconstruction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawing and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters of reference indicate likeparts in the several views, and- Figure 1 is a perspective View of theimproved lens.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the central plane of the lens.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the vehiclesrunning board and showing the lamp applied thereto.

Figure 5 is a schematic section through a running board showing the lampapplied thereto and provided with a shield or cover.

Fig. 6 is a schematic view showing one manner of mounting the lamp sothat it may pivot to throw the beam in diierent directions.

In the embodiment of the invention here shown there is provided a lampcasing or housing having a rear portion I0 and a forward portion Thisrear portion I0 has a vertical rear wall I2 and vertical end walls I3extending forwardly at right angles to rear walls |2, the walls l2 andI3 being of uniform heighth throughout. Furthermore the rear portion Illhas a top wall |4 and a bottom I5 which is parallel to the top wall. Theforward portion has its rear side formed by a flange IS projecting atright angles to the walls |3, lli and |5 of the rear portion, andprojecting from the periphery of this flange is a rectangular framewhich is an offset from the walls I3, I4 and I5 to provide a shoulder|8.

Within the casing thus described there is mounted a reflector having adat rear wall I9 bottom' edges of the wall I9,top and bottom walls 2|and 22 extend forwardly between the side walls 20. The wallsh20, `2| and`2,2 are provided at their forward ends with a peripheral ange 23 whichseats on the shoulder I8. The reflector thus formed is of such size thatit fits snugly between the walls I4 and I5 of the casing and it will beobserved that the walls 2|) converge rearwardly from the forward openend of the casing. Walls 20, 2| and 22 are provided with reflectingsurfaces on their inner sides. Fixed to the wall I9 is a lamp socket 24wherein may be deposited a lamp 25 and from this lamp socket extends theusual conductor 23, an insulating bushing 2l being provided in the rearwall I2 to permit passage of the conductor outwardly. On top of the rearpart of the casing is a clip or loop 28 which may be used to gui-de theconductor 26. Mounted on the forward face of the ilange 23 is a gasket2S on which rises the rim 3|] of a lens 3| which is preferably of thecharacter described thereupon in my co-pending application No. 321,348for improvements in lenses filed of even date herewith. On the rim 30rests a second gasket 32 and a securing frame 33 is held to bear againstthis gasket 32 and to rest on the wall by means of screws 34. The inneredges l I 36 which closely approach the outer face of the frame 33 sothat very wide dispersion of light from the lamp 25 is obtained.

As shown in Figure 4 this lamp may be located beneath the running board3l and may be provided (Figure 5) with an adjustable shield or cover 38,operable manually or by any preferred means not deemed necessary here tobe shown, from within the vehicle.

Also, as shown in Figure 6, the lamp may be pivoted to the running board3l or other part of the vehicle by a pivot 39 so that it may swingbetween a position which is shown in full lines to any desired positionor angle as indicated generally in dotted lines in said ligure.Obviously any other pivot arrangements may be used and what is hereshown is merely typical in order to illustrate the pivotal mounting.

It is now to be observed that with this arrangement of the reflector andlens, light from the lamp 25 will be reflected from the walls 20 in suchmanner that the light rays will strike the inner side of the lens 3| inmany directions, such rays intersecting each other at numerous points sothat the entire inner surface of said lens will receive substantiallyuniform illumination and this illumination will be refracted by theprisms on the inside of the lens and then divergingly directed by theconvex lens portions. The refleeting surface at the top and bottom ofthe reflector aids in preventing loss of light through absorption atthese surfaces.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form and construction ofthe invention without departing from the material points thereof. It isnot therefore desired to conne the invention to the exact form hereinshown and described, but it is desired to include .all fomns whichVproperly come Within the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is: n y n y 1. In a vehicle lamp adapted for use on avrunning board as a side lamp to provide a vertically narrow andlaterally spread light beam, a vertically narrow and laterally elongatedlamp casing having an open front, a laterally elongated lens memberclosing said front and having vertically extending convex lightdistributing portions on its front face and vertical prismatic lightrefracting areas on its'inner face and arranged side by side, aretaining frame resting on the periphery of the lens member and securedto the casing, said frame having an opening therein into which the saidconvex portions project to extend substantially flush with the plane ofthe front face of the frame, and a reflector in said casing having apair of plane reecting surfaces converging rearwardly from the lateralends of the opening in the casing front.

2. In a vehicle lamp adapted for use on a running board as a side lampto provide a vertically narrow and laterally spread light beam, avertically narrow and laterally elongated lamp casing having an openfront, a laterally elongated lens member closing said front and havingvertically extending convex light distributing portions on its frontface and vertical prismatic light refracting areas on its inner face andarranged side by side, a retaining frame resting on the periphery of thelens member and secured to the casing, said frame having an openingtherein into which the said convex portions project to extendsubstantially flush with the plane of the front face of the frame, and areflector in said casing having a pair of plane reflecting surfacesconverging rearwardly from the lateral ends of the opening in the casingfront, and having parallel top and bottom reflecting surfaces.

LAWRENCE D. BRIDGE.

